A BLIND spot in a hi-tech security system may have allowed rooftop raiders to steal expensive video projector equipment from a school.

Police are investigating the raid in which burglars removed tiles before lowering themselves to grab the £2,000 projectors attached to the ceiling.

Experts have warned many other schools across Surrey may have the same lapse in security. Cordwalles Junior School, in Berkshire Road, was raided on Tuesday night causing £500 worth of damage in the process.

On the same night, burglars made a third attempt in two weeks to break into Collingwood College, in Kingston Road, but were scared off by a new security system.

At Cordwalles, the thieves carefully removed tiles from the roof, climbed into the loft space and crawled above three Year 6 classrooms.

When they reached their destination they pushed out ceiling panels and reached down to steal the expensive multi-media projectors attached to the ceiling.

The alarms were not tripped because the sensors only cover a height above the floor, leaving a blind spot below the ceiling.

Dave Foster, site manager at Cordwalles, said: “They took about 10 tiles off the roof. The ceilings of the classrooms are fibre board on a timber frame so they just kicked them out.

“The projectors cost us about £500 each. They are very helpful for us and quite desirable for people at home playing video games which is where they are I suspect.”

The burglars left 10 or 11 other projectors in the classrooms they did not have access to.

Police have taken a set of tools left on the school field by the burglars, who entered the school grounds by breaking open a padlocked gate.

The burglars may have also snapped a tree branch on their way across the field, according to Mr Foster.

“We have had a fair bit of vandalism but not any burglaries,” he said.

“It was quite a clean operation. They came well prepared. They knew exactly what they were doing.”

At Collingwood, burglars have broken in to try to grab equipment three times in the past two weeks.

On the first two occasions, they stole around four projectors without the alarm sounding.

However on Tuesday night, the beefed-up security measures were successful and the alarms went off.

School principal Jerry Oddie said: “Words can’t express how we feel about these people who deprive children of edu-cational equipment for personal gain.

“It’s very heartbreaking and we invest a lot of money in trying to improve facilities for students. We are fortunately covered by our insurance and we can get it replaced. We have strengthened the security but it is money we would prefer not to have to spend.”

Mr Oddie believed the loophole in the alarm system had now been closed. He said Collingwood employed private security firms on an occasional basis to roam the grounds.

“The last attempt we are delighted to say failed. I was very sorry to hear about Cordwalles School,” he said.

“This is part of the same individual or groups we believe.

“We were disappointed with the break-in because we have had a very detailed security audit.

“We implemented all the recommendations from the audit and yet they managed to find a way through which we have now taken steps to deal with.”

Admiral Security Systems in Redhill covers 80% of Surrey’s schools.

A spokesman for the company admitted that burglar alarms did not monitor above a certain height.

He said: “You can do all sorts of things to improve it. It all depends on what the school is prepared to pay.

“You recommend that to the school but they can’t afford them.

“There’s a lot of schools out there with no protection at all.”

A spokesman for Surrey Police said: “We would like to hear from anyone who may have seen anything on the event and overnight on Tuesday September 25 or has any information about these incidents.”

Call Surrey Police on 0845 125 2222 or alternatively Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously and free of charge on 0800 555 111.